ICYMI: Delaware’s Congresswoman McBride Joins MSNBC’s The Weekend to Discuss Protecting Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid from Republican Cuts

Wilmington, DE — In case you missed it, this past Saturday Congresswoman Sarah McBride (DE-AL) joined hosts Symone Sanders and Michael Steele on MSNBC’s The Weekend to discuss the Republican strategy to fund the Trump administration’s agenda by slashing Medicaid. To watch the full interview, click here.

Rep. McBride on Republicans Plan to Slash Medicare: 

“What we are seeing right now by Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress over the last week and what we will likely see in the weeks to come is the great betrayal. They campaigned over the last year on lowering costs facing workers and families and what we're [going to] see and what we are already seeing is an attempt to line the pockets of Donald Trump's billionaire friends while cutting programs and benefits for working people in this country. 

“We will be defending Social Security and Medicare, and yes, Medicaid. Nearly 1 in 4 Delawareans rely on Medicaid. Those are Delawareans and families living in poverty and Delawareans with disabilities. And instead of cutting this critical program, we should be expanding it and improving it like we've done here in Delaware when I was in the state legislature. 

“Just last year we passed unanimously with bipartisan support, my legislation infusing our state's Medicaid program with the largest ongoing source of new resources since the Affordable Care Act to protect it and expand it for the people who rely on it.

“So, we should be moving in that direction, not cutting this program that so many of our constituents rely on.

“Medicaid is different than Medicare. It’s administered by the state through a joint contribution between the state and the federal government. And so if you hear the Republicans talking about cutting federal dollars for Medicaid, what we have to be clear about are the real world impacts of those cuts on people we represent. 

“Like I said, 1 in 4 Delawareans rely on this program. That's new moms who are living in poverty, who are already facing a maternal health crisis in this country.

“Today is National Maternal Health Awareness Day. We have just expanded Medicaid to cover 1 year postpartum for new moms, a critical point in both the lives of new moms and their children… I can't believe that the pro-life party wants to cut maternal health care.

“We know for Delawareans with disabilities who rely on Medicaid for long-term care for home health to be able to get through the day so their parents can go back to work, even if they're adult children, their parents can go back to work so they can get care throughout the day.

 “This would mean cutting these programs, this coverage, and also making it work less well for providers, which would mean fewer and fewer providers, especially in areas like rural communities and urban communities where so many patients rely on Medicaid for coverage.”

Rep. McBride on Trump Executive Orders:  

“As you noted, we will certainly find common ground where we can. That is the responsibility of elected officials, but we will stand our ground when we must.

“And the last couple of days have been a glimpse into what we will likely see from this administration over the next 4 years.

‘Look, Donald Trump kept pretending like he had never heard of Project 2025, but the vast majority of actions that we've seen in just the last couple of days come straight out of the Republican playbook. They lied throughout their campaign.

“They said they were gonna focus on lowering costs facing families. They're not.

“They said that they didn't know what Project 2025 is while they're staffing their administration with its authors and already implementing that agenda. 

“The president said on Monday in the rotunda that we are going to be entering a “Golden Age” in America, but the reality is, they're taking us back to the Gilded Age. They're taking us back to the 1880s, the 1890s on economic policy, lining the pockets of the robber barons, but they're also taking us back to the 1880s and 1890s on issues of basic rights and freedom in this country.

“And I believe that as these actions come forward, people will react and respond in a way that will hold the administration accountable alongside Democrats in Congress. And I'm gonna be working my heart out over the next two years to make sure that Democrats get the majority so that we have a bulwark in the House that is able to protect the financial security of Americans and the rights of our neighbors.”

Rep. McBride on Bipartisan Collaboration

“Let me just say this, I think the American people want to see elected officials be serious and work together… but you're right, you're right, they're not doing that. They are not doing that.

“They've made it clear from immigration to economic policy and taxes to basic human rights, they have made clear that they are more interested in driving forward an extreme partisan agenda rather than pursuing collaborative common-sense solutions.”

Symone Sanders said at the close of the interview, “All right, Congresswoman Sarah McBride of Delaware. This is why she's a policy person!”

###